A new front opens in the GOP's war on sanity!

I seem to recall that for many years it was American conservatives out there yearning for a message of personal responsibility to the nation's school children. Next Tuesday, President Obama says he wants to deliver exactly that, a televised address in classrooms that will "challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning." But now that the president is Obama, apparently conservatives don't want that message anymore. In fact, the chairman of the GOP in the 4th most populous state in America is calling Obama's address to the kids "socialist indoctrination."

Tallahassee – Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer today released the following statement condemning President Obama’s use of taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda.

“As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.

“While I support educating our children to respect both the office of the American President and the value of community service, I do not support using our children as tools to spread liberal propaganda. The address scheduled for September 8, 2009, does not allow for healthy debate on the President’s agenda, but rather obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President’s initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates.

“Public schools can’t teach children to speak out in support of the sanctity of human life or traditional marriage. President Obama and the Democrats wouldn’t dream of allowing prayer in school. Christmas Parties are now Holiday Parties. But, the Democrats have no problem going against the majority of American people and usurping the rights of parents by sending Pied Piper Obama into the American classroom.

The Democrats have clearly lost the battle to maintain control of the message this summer, so now that school is back in session, President Obama has turned to American’s children to spread his liberal lies, indoctrinating American’s youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves.”

It's one thing when a radio caller nicknamed "Crazy Eileen" commandeers a town hall meeting with her birth certificate in a baggie, but these are the musings of the leader of one of our two major political parties in the state that, as you may vaguely recall, decided the U.S. presidential election of 2000. This kind of whacked-out talk from a person with responsibility, chucking aside reason and logic to whip up voters who are angry and confused in a time of economic upheaval, is exactly what encourages those people who are far more unhinged than Jim Greer, who think it's a good idea to bring a gun to a town hall meeting or pray for Obama's death. I also thought it was a nice touch to urge respect for the office of the presidency right before the comment about "Pied Piper Obama."

One footnote about Jim Greer and the Republican Party of Florida -- when I was checking this out on Google I noted they've been in the news lately for something of a scandal, for issuing American Express cards to top Fla. Republicans who used them for things like a European vacation. I guess in the Florida GOP, it's "to each according to his need." What could be more socialist than that?